County, communities request funding for road projects

Dubois County communities are hoping to again receive money from the state’s Community Crossings grant program.

Funding applications were submitted to the Indiana Department of Transportation before Friday’s deadline.

Dubois County submitted five applications: three roads and motion-activated signs for the county, and a joint road project with the Town of Ferdinand.

The county is requesting $244,362 to pave County Road 1025E from State Road 64 to State Road 164, which is estimated to cost $325,816; the county will cover the other $81,454. A second application is $229,083.75 to pave County Road 100S from County Roads 600W to 650W, and County Road 650W from County Roads 100S to 300S, estimated to cost $305,445; the county’s match would be 76,361.25. The county also applied for $234,590.25 to pave County Road 550S between State Road 162 and Club Road. The project is estimated to cost $312,787, of which $78,196.75 would be covered by local funds.

Motion-activated signs will be placed at the intersection of County Roads 100S and 600W if the county gets the $10,693.50 it has requested for the estimated $14,258 project; the county would cover the remaining $3,564.50. The signs would be like the ones at Schnellville and Santine roads, lighting up when a car is near or in an intersection. Also like the Schnellville and Santine intersection, the sight distance at 100S and 600W is limited.

In addition, Dubois County and Ferdinand are applying jointly to pave Ferdinand’s Industrial Park Road, which is estimated to cost $410,529. The total being requested is $307,897. Of the remaining $102,632, the county would cover $54,681 and Ferdinand would cover $47,951.

The City of Huntingburg has submitted funding applications for three projects that are already in progress. One is to mill and pave 14th Street between U.S. 231 and Chestnut Street, estimated to cost $120,144.50; the funding request for the project is $90,105.37, with the city covering $30,039.13.

A second project is to improve the intersection of 14th and Chestnut streets, including installing curbs, gutters and sidewalks. The work is estimated to cost $311,327. The city is requesting $233,495.25 in its application; the other $77,831.75 would be covered locally.

The third project is paving Chestnut Street between 12th and 19th streets, which is estimated to cost $73,123.80; $54,842.85 is being requested from the state, and $18,280.95 would be covered by Huntingburg.

This will be the last year that INDOT will allow communities to submit projects for reimbursement, Tara Damin of Cash Waggner & Associates told city officials previously. The Jasper-based engineering company is assisting the city with applying for the state funds.

INDOT evaluates projects based on need, traffic volume, local support, the impact on connectivity and mobility within the community, and regional economic significance. The match for the grant funding is 25 percent for counties with a population of less than 50,000 and for cities and towns with less than 10,000 people. Counties with more than 50,000 people and cities and towns with more than 10,000 people must provide a 50 percent match. The City of Jasper would be the only community in Dubois County that would have to provide a 50 percent match.

Jasper will submit one project for funding in this round: rebuilding 12th Avenue from U.S. 231 to Kimball Blvd.

“Our plan is to tear it all out, soil stabilize it and then cover with asphalt,” Street Superintendent Jeff Theising said. “The storm sewers will be improved and ADA ramps will be added.”

The project is estimated to cost $418,397.16. The application request is for $209,198.58, which is half of the estimated cost.

“The road has served its life and lasted a long time,” Theising said. “It’s starting to fall apart. If you drive it, you know that it needs (work).”

Birdseye Clerk-Treasurer Brittany Schepers said the town did not submit an application for funding. Holland Town Council President Tom Thacker could not be reached for comment on the town’s plan.